Even on TVs that support 4K and HDR, some inputs might support only lower resolutions. Refer to your TV’s manual to see which input will be best for your Xbox.

Note that viewing 4K and HDR might require you to adjust your TV’s settings or update its firmware. HDR10 is the default HDR experience for Xbox One X and Xbox One S. Some video apps also support Dolby Vision. Most TVs that support Dolby Vision will also support HDR10, so for the best HDR experience, enable both on your Xbox. However, if your TV supports Dolby Vision but not HDR10, you’ll get HDR from your Xbox only while viewing apps that use Dolby Vision.

To see if your Xbox supports 4K, check that it’s either Xbox One X or Xbox One S:

Eject any disc that’s in your Xbox. (Note This doesn’t apply to the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition.)

Look on the back of your Xbox. On the right side, near the network port, there should be a sticker that reads “Xbox One X” or "Xbox One S."

If there’s no sticker: Check the bottom of the Xbox for a sticker that reads "Xbox One Console." If it doesn’t have “X” or "S" after “Xbox One,” that Xbox does not support 4K.

When both your TV and Xbox support 4K, the Xbox settings area will give you more specific info about what your TV supports. Press the Xbox button to open the guide, go to System > Settings > Display & sound, then choose Advanced video settings > 4K TV details.

Here’s additional context for what you’ll see there.

TV resolution

This checks if your TV can display 4K UHD resolution at 60 Hz. This is needed to upscale the display of system, games, and some apps to 4K. In other words, this lets your console run at 4K all the time, regardless of what’s on the screen.

4K UHD isn't required to play 4K content, however. Games and apps that use 4K features like the 4K resolution and HDR can switch those features on without needing your Xbox to be outputting 4K UHD.

Some games can play HDR (High Dynamic Range) content on both Xbox One X and the Xbox One S, but for true 4K gaming you’ll need Xbox One X. This section tests your TV's ability to show HDR and 4K 60 Hz for games.

Your TV must support the following requirements to switch to 4K or HDR on demand for games.

Feature

Requirements

4K @ 60 Hz

Resolution: 3840 x 2160p

Refresh rate: 60 Hz

Color depth: 30 bits per pixel (10-bit)

Pixel encoding: 4:2:0 or 4:2:2

HDR

Your TV must support the HDR10 and/or Dolby Vision media profiles:

BT2020 color space or gamut

High Dynamic Range (ST2084)

Some TV manufacturers may call this something else. For example, "HDR Premium" or "Ultra HD Premium."

Watching movies & TV

Movies and TV shows vary in how their bits are stored and played. Some video apps can play 4K content at different refresh rates, and some support HDR content. This section tests your TV's ability to display different 4K and HDR modes.

For example, your TV may support 4K at 24 Hz but not 4K at 60 Hz. In this case, it may display 4K 24 Hz movies at their native 4K 24 Hz, but 4K 60 Hz content may display at 1080p instead. How content actually gets displayed depends on the video app, what you’re watching, and the capabilities of your TV.

Feature

Requirements

4K @ 24 Hz

Resolution: 3840 x 2160p

Refresh rate: 24 Hz

Color depth: 30 bits per pixel (10-bit)

Pixel encoding: 4:4:4

4K @ 50 Hz

Resolution: 3840 x 2160p

Refresh rate: 50 Hz

Color depth: 30 bits per pixel (10-bit)

Pixel encoding: 4:2:0 or 4:2:2

4K @ 60 Hz

Resolution: 3840 x 2160p

Refresh rate: 60 Hz

Color depth: 30 bits per pixel (10-bit)

Pixel encoding: 4:2:0 or 4:2:2

HDR

Your TV must support the HDR10 and/or Dolby Vision media profiles:

BT2020 color space or gamut

High Dynamic Range (ST2084)

Some TV manufacturers may call this something else. For example, "HDR Premium" or "Ultra HD Premium."